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CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY 



THE GOVERNOR HAS PROCLAIMED 
APRIL 18, 1914 

FIRE PREVENTION DAY 



A LESSON 




WINTER AND SPRING WORK TO PREVENT SUMMER FIRES. 



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April 18 




19 14 



California State Printing Office 






CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY. 



HIRAM W. JOHNSON Governor 

FRANK C. JORDAN Secretary of State 

U. S. WEBB Attorney General 

G. M. HOMANS State Forester 



D. OF D. 

APR 27 1914 






SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS. 




RBOR DAY has passed and in observance of its true purpose 
the school children of California have been impressed with 
the real value of a tree as an individual and of many trees 
as a forest. The tree carefully planted in the school yard 
has been placed there and will be protected for the future. 
So the spirit of Arbor Day remains. Nature enjoys 365 arbor days 
each year ; but, what is being done to develop and protect the thousands 
of little trees she so faithfully endeavors to offer? They stand alone 
remote from cities and towns, born to struggle against many a foe, a 
humble struggle against wind and storms that the children of to-day 
may in years to come find shelter and pleasure under their branches; 
that the homes of years to come may be built of wood as we build our 
homes to-day. 

The greatest enemy of our forests is fire. Many of the forest fires 
are preventable, but the State has done nothing to insure their preven- 
tion. We may delay in a futile attempt to convince ourselves that the 
situation is not so serious as annual figures of loss indicate; neverthe- 
less, the problem of forest protection is one that actually and logically 
confronts the State. The spirit of Arbor Day will fail to stand the test 
of consistency if we neglect our duty of protecting the forests planted 
by nature. True consistency must find expression in a living endeavor 
to teach our school children how to use and conserve that with which 
we must learn to leave them provided, namely, the forests. 

The necessity of fire prevention is made obvious by the Governor's 
proclamation of April 18, 1914, as Fire Prevention Day. One aim of 
the proclamation is to decrease the fire risk throughout the State by 
emphasizing the advisability of being careful with fire during the sum- 
mer months, and of making improvements which will prevent the spread 
of fires, both in forests and in chaparral and grass. 

That the spirit may be carried out to the fullest extent the exercise 
has been prepared with the hope that each student will be permitted to 
get the substance of the lesson. Effort has been made to present the 
most important phases of protective work. Since it is suggested that 
two consecutive class periods will be devoted to this subject, it might be 
well to devote the first hour to a study period during which time the 
students will read the exercise carefully preparatory to questions which 
the teacher may wish to ask in the following period. A few pupils may 
be asked to give in their own words what the lesson teaches. The 
teacher may present to the students the substance of the lesson, with 



California State Board of Forestry. 



added suggestions, during the second hour, impressing upon them the 
importance of fire prevention and its inevitable influence on the preser- 
vation of forests and human lives. 

A series of prizes is offered by officers of the State Board of Forestry 
for the best titles for the picture on page 7. The plate represents 
first, a woodland area typical of many of our valuable pine forests ; the 
second, a forest fire, caused probably by carelessness— nothing is done in 
California to stop these fires ; and the third explains itself, an area fire 
swept, desolate and of practically no value. Two sets of prizes are 
offered. Two first prizes of $5.00 ; two second prizes of $3.00 ; and two 
third prizes of $1.00 will be paid. One set of prizes will be awarded 
for the three best* titles from the seventh, eighth and ninth grades; the 
other set for the three best titles from the tenth, eleventh and twelfth, 
grades. The competition will close April 30th, and all titles should be 
in the State Forester's office by the afternoon of the same date. The 
full name, address, school and grade of the student must accompany 
the title. The word "Title" must appear on the upper left corner of 
each envelope, and the latter addressed to the State Forester, Sacra- 
mento, California. Credit will be given for neatness, handwriting, and 
letter construction. 

STUDENTS' APPEAL FOR PROTECTION OF THEIR FORESTS. 

If, after the lesson, certain students feel inclined, they may direct a 
letter to their respective senators and assemblymen, urging state pro- 
tection of their forests, streams, hunting grounds, and watersheds. The 
children should feel that they have a right to expect the forests to be 
protected for them. The perforated blank sheets in the back of this 
pamphlet may be used for this purpose. 

THE FORESTS OF CALIFORNIA. 

Our State extends, in a direct north and south line, approximately 
750 miles and from sea level we rise to the highest point in the United 
States, Mt. Whitney, which is 14,898 feet in elevation. The State is 
truly a remarkable one, in that there are to be found within its borders 
so many variations of climate, so many contrasts in scenery from ocean 
shore to snow-capped mountain peaks. Just as different tribes of 
people adapt themselves to climate and altitude, so each forest tree 
finds one climate and one range of elevation best suited to its growth. 
One kind of tree will prefer the high and steep slopes of the mountains, 
while another species will not grow well unless it is planted in a wide 
fertile valley or near the seashore. Because of this there are different 
types of forests in California. A broad division might be made as 
follows : 

Redwood Forests. 

These forests are limited in their extent. The redwood trees, which 
are cut for lumber, are found only on a narrow strip of land along the 
California coast from Monterey County to the Oregon line. These 
forests like the damp ocean air and require quite a bit of rain. Forest 



Fire Protection Day, April 18, 191$. 



fires do not do very much damage to redwood forests until after log- 
ging; then many dead branches are on the ground and become so dry 
during the summer that fires sweep through them and often kill the 
bttle new trees that are coming up to replace those taken away by the 
lumbermen. 

Oak Forests. ' 7 "^ 

There are many different kinds of oak trees in California. One of 
the most beautiful oaks is the one called Valley Oak. Years ago there 
were large forests of this species in the two great valleys of the State. 
Many of the trees have been cut down and now there are comparatively 
few left, scattered here and there. 

Pine and Fir Forests. 

These are very large and valuable forests and are found generally in 
the mountain and foothill regions. Pine forests suffer from fire each 
year, and some plan must be adopted to reduce the danger of fire 
destroying the old as well as the young trees. Very often there are 
many kinds of bushy plants growing under the big trees, and when 
these catch fire the flames are so hot that the trees themselves are 
burned. The most valuable tree of our State is the sugar pine, and 
soon there will be very few of them left. Every summer thousands of 
little sugar pine trees are killed by fires which might be prevented. 
If this destruction is allowed to continue, there will be no sugar pines 
left by the time the children of to-day grow up ; there will hardly be 
any valuable forests left unless we provide for them. 

Chaparral Forests. i 

Thousands of acres of mountain and hill land in the State are covered 
with "brush." This vegetation consists of many different forms of low 
growing trees and shrubs. Manzanita, buckthorn, several varieties of 
sage, scrub oak, lilac, and a great many others go to form what we 
collectively term chaparral forests. 

WHAT OUR FORESTS MEAN TO US. 
A country without forests is indeed poor. Forests not only provide 
us with fuel and lumber, but indirectly they affect every industry. 
The wild animals find their food and shelter in the woods. Campers 
would find little pleasure if they were forced to spend their vacation in 
a country without trees and streams. We all like the woods ; there is a 
charm in the rippling brook and a delight in the music of the wind 
through the trees. When summer comes these pleasures call us and 
invite us to become a part of them. What fairy tale is worth telling 
which has no f orest mystery ? One of the oldest definitions for a forest 
was given by Manwood in 1598. He called a forest "a certain territory 
of woody grounds, fruitful pastures, privileged for wild beasts and 
fowls of the forest, chase and warren, to rest and abide in, the safe 
protection of the King for his princely delight and pleasure." Still 
recognizing the true value of the forests the latest revised Encyclo- 
pasdfa Britannica gives the following definition: "A forest is an area 
which is for the most part set aside for the production of timber and 
other forest produce, or which is expected to exercise certain climatic 
effects, or to protect the locality against injurious influences." 



California State Board of Forestry. 



THINGS THAT FORESTS GUARD AGAINST. 

1. The woods provide grateful shade in summer from the heat of 
the sun. 

2. In winter, when fierce winds and storms come, the forests serve to 
protect against damage. They act as great wind breaks and provide 
shelter for the wild animals. 

3. When hillsides are bare and without trees the rain often washes 
great ditches which become so numerous that the land is useless to 
farmers. This action is called "erosion." Trees and shrubs send 
their roots into the ground and tend to keep the water back and allow 
it to sink into the ground instead of rushing off on the surface. 

4. In the same manner forests often prevent floods and torrents in 
winter. The roots act as filters and permit the rain water to pass 
through the soil slowly. Because of this springs are often regulated 
and streams flow steadily all through the year. This is much better 
than to have a rushing muddy torrent during the winter and a dry 
sandy creek bed all through the summer. A watershed covered with 
trees will discharge a clearer, and far more regular, stream than one 
that is unforested. 

THE NEED OF PROTECTING OUR FORESTS. 

So, as long as men need lumber for building their homes, hill land for 
their farms, protection against summer heat and winter cold, streams 
for water power and rivers for navigation, the work of protecting the 
forests will be a duty of every man, woman and child. Keeping fire 
from destroying the forests in many cases is keeping it from burning 
our homes, for many of us live near the woods or have brush and forest 
trees all around our houses. To prevent fire is by all means the best 
way to control it. Fire, damaging insects, wasteful use of lumber and 
logs, neglect and several other agencies are enemies of the forests. Fire 
is the most dangerous. We can learn to be frugal in our use of the 
forests, but a forest fire has no conscience. 

HOW FOREST FIRES START. 

Forest and brush fires may start from a hundred different sources. 
The main causes are : 

Railroads. 

Lightning. — This is one cause which we can not prevent, but we 
can prevent the fires from becoming large ones. 

Incendiary. — These fires are set on purpose and the penalty for 
lighting such fires is very severe. 

Brush Burning. 

Campers and Hunters. — This is a very important class ; picnickers 
are also included. 

Sawmills. — Sparks from sawmill stacks start fires at times. 

Unknown. — Many fires can not be traced to their start and no one 
knows how they begin. 

Miscellaneous. — All sorts of causes not placed under the other 
headings are included in this class. Fires starting from elec- 
tric wires, for example, would be classed as "miscellaneous." 



Fire Protection Day, April 18, 1914- 




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California State Board of Forestry. 



HOW FIRES DO DAMAGE. 

When a fire gets away and burns through a forest, even if the big 
trees are not killed, the little ones are, and often the big ones are 
injured so that they will always be scarred. A grass fire frequently 
kills little trees that are in its path by scorching the limbs and stems 
or by heating the roots to such a point that they fail to take in nourish- 
ment any longer. The tender bark at the base of the trees also may be 
baked — this will result almost always in killing the trees. 

Large forest trees are killed by fire when there is sufficient under- 




A little care will prevent the burning to death of many of 
our wild animals. Protecting the forests means also the 
protection of all sorts of animal and bird life. 



brush to make a very hot flame, or when the wind is high and carries 
the fire up into and through the tops of the trees. 

When pasture grass burns, the soil is injured by being baked and 
also by being robbed of certain chemical elements which nature intends 
should be returned in some way. 

When brush is burned on a whole mountain the slopes are left bare 
and "erosion" will very likely take place when the next heavy rains 
come. Quite often wild animals get caught in brush fires, and, not 
knowing where to run for safety, are burned to death. Many deer 
and hundreds of rabbits lost their lives during the fires last summer. 

When a fire starts no one is able to say just how far it will spread. 
Last September a little fire started in some brush; few people thought 



Fire Protection Day, April 18, 191%. 



anything about it, but before it was out hundreds of men were called to 
fight it. A woman, living in a small house in the woods, saw the fire 
coming and ran, with her little daughter, into the cellar. The house 
caught fire and both mother and little girl were burned. 

So fires do destroy human lives, forests, homes, fences, little trees 
(which should be the forests of the future), farms, and many other 
valuable things. Do you think it is worth while being careful? Is it 
not worth our time to remember to prevent fires starting? 

One careful thought may prevent untold damage and hours of bitter 
regret. 

HOW TO FIGHT FOREST FIRES. 
Grass Fires. 

These can sometimes be put out by using wet sacks. If the wind is 
blowing hard it will be difficult to beat the flames out, and the best way, 
in this case, is to scrape and clear a trail in front of the fire and try to 
keep the flames from jumping across it. Never back-fire unless it is 
absolutely necessary. Remember that a back-fire set to save one house 
may burn up many others if it is poorly planned. Make clearings 
around your homes before a fire threatens you and you won't regret it. 
Put a little grass fire out as quickly as possible because it will spread 
rapidly if neglected and will soon become a raging wall of flames. 
Hoes, rakes, yard-brooms, wet sacks and green boughs are the best 
things to use in putting out a grass fire. 

Timber Fires. 

These can best be fought by preventing them. When a fire is burn- 
ing through the tops of trees it is very hard to handle. The work of 
controlling such a fire calls for a large number of men, and firebreaks 
must be cut some distance in front of the flames. When dead brush and 
litter is cleared away from under the trees there will be little danger 
of a timber fire spreading, under ordinary wind conditions. In fighting 
a timber fire it is sometimes necessary to dynamite the standing snags 
to prevent their scattering sparks. Axes, saws, brush-hooks and shovels 
are always useful in fighting a timber fire. 

Brush Fires. 

Make a firebreak — that is, a cleared trail from 10 to 50 feet wide — 
through the brush, preferably along a ridge, before a fire threatens you. 
If a fire does come, guard the firebreak or a road in front of the fire and 
try to keep the flames back. Quite often a very good back-fire can be 
started from just such a firebreak. Shovels and brush-hooks are the 
most valuable tools in the brush, but quite frequently axes, hoes and 
rakes can also be used to advantage. 

Always call a firewarden or some grown men to help you when a fire 
gets away. Don't wait and wonder whether or not you can put the fire 
out alone unless you are sure that you can. Do as the fire will do if it 
gets a chance — act quickly. 



10 



California State Board of Forettry. 



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There is a great deal of dead brush and many small dead trees in our forests. Such 
material burns readily and a fire once started in it is difficult to control ; it kills or 
injures many of the living trees and destroys most of the smaller ones. The picture 
on the cover shows such material being piled in the open where it will be burned during 
the wet season. 




This picture was taken in a forest where the conditions were similar to those shown 
above ; but here the dead brush and trees have been burned and the live trees are now 
comparatively safe from fire. A Are lane has been built to keep out fires starting on 
areas that have not been cleared up. 



Fire Protection Day, April 18, 1914- 11 

WHAT EVERY STUDENT SHOULD KNOW. 

1. The total acreage of land surface in California is 99,898,880 acres. 
Texas is the only state larger than California. 

2. There are approximately 20,604,000 acres of forest land in 
California. 

3. There are nineteen national forests in the State representing a 
total area of 12,104,000 acres. 

4. There are approximately 12,786,306 acres of merchantable forests 
in California. 

5. There are 8,500,000 acres of these merchantable forests privately 
owned. 

6. California has no state forests ; several states have. 

7. The forests outside the national reserves are very poorly protected 
from fire because California has failed to let the people make a law that 
is necessary. 

8. Forest fires result in the loss of human life, public improvements, 
timber, little trees that would some day be big ones, game, homes, 
orchards, live stock, forage and plants from which bees get their honey. 

9. The length of the fire danger season in California is from May 15th 
until October 15th. This means that everything is so dry during this 
period that fires will easily start unless everyone is careful to prevent 
them. 

10. The six rules which should always be remembered are : 

(1) Be sure your match is out before you throw it away. 

(2) Knock out your pipe ashes or throw your cigar or cigarette 
stump where there is nothing to catch fire. Better yet — don't 
smoke. 

(3) Don't build a camp fire any larger than is absolutely neces- 
sary. Never leave it even for a short time without putting it out 
with water or dirt. 

(4) Don't build a camp fire against a log or tree. Build a small 
one where you can scrape away the needles, leaves or grass from all 
sides of it. 

(5) Don't build bonfires. The wind may come up at any time 
and start a fire you can not control. Never play with matches. 

(6) If you discover a fire, get word of it to the nearest State 
Firewarden or Forest Officer or the land owner as quickly as you 
possibly can. 

Learn and remember and practice these rules and you will be a 
valuable citizen. 

11. California has not set aside a single dollar for forest protection. 
The United States government wants to help us but will not until our 
State does something to help herself. 

12. Every one can help by urging that California as a State adopt a 
fire protection plan. 

13. The State must pass the most suitable kind of forestry laws and 
provide enough money to work out the laws. 

14. It is especially important to keep fire patrols in the woods during 
the summers. 

15. During 1913 in California 61,812 acres of merchantable forests 
were burned over. This represents a money loss of approximately 
$124,059. 



12 



California State Board of Forestry. 



16. The total money loss occasioned by forest fires in 1913 in Cali- 
fornia, including damage done to houses, timber and pastures, amounted 
to $511,077. This amount of money is enough to pay for protecting 
the forests for several years and we have allowed it to go up in smoke. 

WHAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT FIRES. 

To-day let us plan some way in which we will make it harder for a 
fire to start in our community during the coming summer months. 

Those of us who live near brush and forests can prevent possible 
danger by carefully cleaning away the dry grass and inflammable 
material from around our homes. 

When we see campers starting out for their vacation let us not forget 
to warn them to be careful with their camp fires and matches. 

When we go on a picnic let us watch to see that the fire, if one is lit, 
is safely placed, carefully watched and entirely put out before leaving. 

Let us never build a fire to burn brush or rubbish unless there is 
plenty of open bare land all around the pile that is to be burned. 

We should never think of building any bonfire or even a camp fire on 
a very windy day. If a camp fire is necessary on a windy day let us 
take all the more care with it and put it entirely out with water before 
leaving it. 

Don't forget that sensible people never play with matches. 

Boys! Don't "smoke out" bees unless you intend to "stay with it" 
to put the fire out. 

It is dangerous to throw firecrackers into dry grass. Let us leave the 
fireworks at home when we go camping or on Fourth of July picnics. 

Don't watch a little grass fire because it looks pretty. Put it out. 

Take this pamphlet home and show it to your parents and ask them 
to help too. 

Never forget that big fires will always be prevented if we are 
always careful with small ones. 




